

,VILLIAM CLARK-THE INDIAN 
AGENT 



BY 
HARLOW LINDLEY 

Professor of History and Political Science in Earlbam College 



Reprinted from the Proceedings of the 
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HISTORICAL 
ASSOCIATION FOR the Year 1908-1909 



WILLIAM CLARK — THE INDIAN AGENT 
By Harlow Lindley 

William Clark is probably best known to the people 
of the United States from his connection with the explo- 
ration of the Oregon country ; but the close student of the 
history of our country finds another phase of his life of 
great interest and of important historical value. 

When a mere lad of four years he listened with great 
avidity to the tales of Indian warfare, and this interest, 
so early manifested in the Indians, the ''red-haired chief" 
carried with him to the last. He was trained in a good 
school to develop keenness, courage, and a love for the 
life of a frontiersman. His hero from babyhood was an 
older brother — the dauntless George Rogers Clark. His 
mother was Ann Rogers, from whom he inherited * * iron 
in the blood and granite in the backbone". His father 
was John Clark, the grandson of a cavalier. 

From boyhood William Clark was a person of deeds 
rather than of words. When about fifteen years of age 
his parents moved from Virginia westward. The new 
environment furnished an opportunity for that training 
which was later to make him famous. 

Soon after moving westward he was frequently a 
member of war parties against the Indians, who were 
still troublesome. Early in his seventeenth year he en- 
listed in the Wabash Expedition under his elder brother, 
George Rogers Clark. In 1789, before he was twenty 
years old, he joined Colonel John Hardin's expedition 
against the tribes in Ohio. In 1790 he was sent on a 
mission to the Creeks and Cherokees of the South. In 
1791, with General Scott, he served in the Wabash Indian 



expedition, being commissioned first as an ensign and a 
little later as an acting lieutenant. Two years later he 
is found in General Anthony Wayne's Western Army. 
In 1794 he was in charge of an expedition of a train of 
seven hundred pack horses and eighty men, which he was 
escorting to Fort Greenville. On this trip he was at- 
tacked by Indians, but lost only six men, gallantly re- 
pulsing the enemy and eliciting praise from Wayne. In 
1795 Clark was sent by Wayne with a message to the 
Spanish authorities at New Madrid. 

In 1796, he retired from the army because of ill 
health, and for the time being became a young country 
gentleman, looking after the business of his father's es- 
tate. In 1804, he was appointed by President Jefferson, 
with Captain Meriwether Lewis, to explore the Missouri 
and Columbia rivers, then unknown to white people, ex- 
cept to a few traders. This expedition opened to the peo- 
ple of the United States a country half as large as Europe. 
The expedition made Lewis and Clark famous. Clark 
became the friend of the Nez Perce Flathead Indians, 
whom he met beyond the Kockies, and in later years they 
visited him in St. Louis annually, up to the time of his 
death. 

All this gave Clark a thorough knowledge of the 
way to deal with the Indians, to handle large bodies of 
men and supplies, and an opportunity to display his 
courage and resources. These experiences prepared him 
for the years that followed in his dealings with the In- 
dians, and taught him their habits and character. His 
life puri3ose seems to have been to give them a fair deal. 

Soon after his return from the Oregon expedition 
Clark received the appointment of Brigadier General and 
Indian Agent for Louisiana on March 12, 1807, at Wash- 
ington, where he and Meriwether Lewis were feasted and 
courted and regarded as the heroes of the hour. Almost 
immediately upon receiving his appointment Clark set 



*^** 2 6 19EB 



out for St. Louis, to begin his real work among the In- 
dians — a work which was to continue for more than 
thirty years, which was to win for him the love of the 
race to whom he gave the best years of his life, and 
which was, in 1820, to bring down upon his head the 
censure of the politicians who declared that "Clark is 
too good to the Indians," 

The first summer he was very busy quelling Indian 
disturbances which, it was believed, were incited by the 
British traders. In October he returned to Virginia 
where, early in 1808, he was married to Miss Julia Han- 
cock. Very soon after this event he returned to his 
duties at St. Louis. From this place, under date of July 
20, 1810, he wrote that one hundred and fifty Sacs and 
Foxes were on a visit to the island of St. Joseph in Lake 
Huron. As this was at a time when British emissaries 
were at work among the tribes, the worst was feared. 
The Indians under Black Hawk were forming alliances. 

Clark continued to live in St. Louis, busy with af- 
fairs of this kind, until the summer of 1812 when the 
country was startled by the cry that Hull had surrendered 
to the British. Thus the first encounter of the Second 
War of Independence had passed into history. Before 
this Madison had offered the command of the Army of 
Detroit to Clark, who, feeling that he could serve his 
country best by attending to the Indians, had gratefully 
declined. A little later, in December, 1812, he was made 
Governor of Missouri — which Territory had recently 
been organized. 

All during the war of 1812 hostile tribes were con- 
stantly committing great depredations; and in 1814 it 
was necessary to strengthen the fort at Prairie du Chien. 
With this in mind Governor Clark set out with an expe- 
dition of two hundred men, for, said he, "Whoever holds 
Prairie du Chien, holds the Upper Mississippi", and a 
moment later added : " It requires time and a little smok- 



ing with Indians, if you wish to have peace with them." 
On the route they encountered some Sacs and Foxes who, 
being thoroughly frightened, sued for peace. They made 
no objections to the terms, but gladly promised to take 
up arms against the enemies of the United States. Dick- 
son, the treacherous English agent who had been inciting 
the Indians, left Prairie du Chien two days before the 
arrival of Clark, leaving it in charge of Captain Deace. 
But the latter left, and when Clark entered the fort he 
found it deserted. Most of the inhabitants returned, 
however, and a new fort was in progress of building when 
Clark left the Prairie. 

In the meantime Black Hawk and the British Sacs 
were not idle. The Indians declared that Dickson had 
employed an Indian brave to assassinate Clark at Prairie 
du Chien. This warrior entered the council with murder 
in his heart, but finding the Americans armed, he was 
forced to give up the attempt. 

Indian depredations did not cease with the Treaty 
of Ghent, although the tribes were notified of its terms by 
Governor Clark and others. They continued their war- 
fare, especially in the Missouri Territory, and all effort 
to come to an understanding proved unavailing. The 
following is a copy of instructions sent by Monroe, Secre- 
tary of War, to the commissioners. Governor Clark, Nin- 
ian Edwards, Governor of the Illinois Territory, and 
Colonel Auguste Chouteau : 

Department of War, March 25, 1815.^ 
Sir: — 

At the treaty which you as commissioners are authorized 

to hold with the Indians, the President thinks it will be proper 

to make some presents to the chiefs and headmen of the tribes 

who may attend. For this purpose, twenty thousand dollars 

worth of goods have been directed to be purchased and will be 

forwarded by Messrs. Johnson and Sibley who will probably 

1 American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 6. 



reach St. Louis with them in the first week in June. Whether 
it will be necessary to distribute the whole of these goods to the 
Indians will depend upon the number of tribes which attend 
the treaty, and on the judgment and discretion of the commis- 
sioners as to the extent to which presents ought to be made. 
Should any Indians who have been friendly to the United States 
attend this treaty, it will be well, in the distribution of presents, 
to let them feel that those who have been our enemies are not 
better treated than those who have been our friends. Among 
the articles to be sent out, there are some solid silver medals; 
and it having been understood that the late General Pike, when 
on his expedition up the Mississippi, took from some of the 
Indians medals which had been given to them by the British, it 
is requested that, if any of these Indians attend the treaty, a 
medal of the largest size be given to each of them in lieu of those 
taken from them by General Pike. 

I have the honor to be, etc. 

J. Monroe. 
His Excellency W. Clark, St. Louis. 

Fearing that a treaty might not be satisfactorily 
concluded at Prairie du Chien, Clark wrote to the Secre- 
tary of War that it was well to be prepared for either 
peace or war. A second letter was written, which sound- 
ed a more doubtful note than the preceding. To these 
letters Monroe replied that the President would use the 
military force of the United States to suppress the In- 
dians if necessary. 

Under date of July 16, 1815, another letter was sent 
from the commissioners to Monroe from Portage des 
Sioux, voicing the sentiment that they feared the worst 
from the attempt at a treaty as the tribes had sent some 
of the most contemptible of their braves and but few 
chiefs to treat with them, and these had declared that 
even should the chiefs agree to relinquish their land the 
tribes would never consent to it. 

Meanwhile Jackson was placed in command of this 
military district, and Clark, acting under his instructions, 



ordered the militia to hold itself in readiness for instant 
action. These measures had the desired effect, and the 
tone of the next communication was quite different. 
Treaties had been concluded with the Pattawatamies, the 
Piankeshaws, the Yanctons, the Teetons, the Mahas, the 
Sioux of the Lakes, and the Sioux of the river St. Peters 
at Portage des Sioux. A little later treaties were also 
made at the same point with the Kickapoos, the Big and 
Little Osages, the Sacs of Missouri River, the Foxes and 
the loways. The letter apprising Monroe of this treaty 
mentioned, also, the division among the Indians about 
Prairie du Chien concerning the expediency of a treaty, 
and expressed the belief that hostility had been engen- 
dered by British traders. 

On October 18, 1815, a long letter was received by 
the War Department from Clark and his assistants in 
which they stated they had explicitly followed the direc- 
tions of the government, but they feared no further treat- 
ies could be effected. They spoke of the intriguing of 
the British traders and of their part in stirring up the 
Indians. They advised the making of further treaties 
with those tribes that were friendly. They also cited an 
instance of the unjust treatment of the Cherokees by the 
whites, stating that the tribes desired peaceable posses- 
sion of a definite tract of land, which should be free from 
the encroachments of the whites. 

William H. Crawford was now Secretary of War. 
In his absence George Graham, Chief Clerk, acting under 
instructions from the President, authorized Clark to or- 
der the removal of all whites settling on Indian territory, 
promising the assistance of United States troops, if 
needed. 

On October 1, 1815, Clark sent a letter to Crawford 
plainly stating that he considered a change in the manage- 
ment of Indian affairs expedient. The Indian agents 
should be given more power to deal with law breakers. 



He believed it might be well to establish a departmeut to 
manage Indian affairs, but admitted his inability to 
answer the question decisively. He advised the organ- 
ization of a company with banking privileges. 

On May 13, 1816, a treaty was concluded between the 
United States through her representatives, William 
Clark, Ninian Edwards and Auguste Chouteau, and the 
Sacs of Rock River. Reference was made in this treaty 
to the refusal of these tribes to meet in council at Portage 
des Sioux and to tlie depredations since committed by 
them. But, having grown weary of strife, they were 
eager to be at peace and earnestly implored mercy. They 
assented to the conditions of the treaty of 1804 at St. 
Louis, and agreed to restore all property stolen since 
the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent before July 1st. 
Failure to comply with this provision meant a forfeiture 
of their annuities. 

On June 1, 1816, a treaty was made with the Sioux 
in which the Indians confirmed previous cessions of land 
and acknowledged themselves subjects of the United 
States. A similar pledge was entered into between the 
United States and the Winnebagoes on June 3rd. A por- 
tion of this tribe, having separated itself from the rest, 
promised to remain apart until the others should come 
into friendly relations with the United States. On Au- 
gust 24th, a treaty was made with the Ottawas, Chippe- 
was, and Pattawatamies in which these tribes promised 
to relinquish their claim on certain disputed cessions 
(retaining the right to hunt and fish) in return for **a 
considerable quantity of merchandise and an annual 
present for twelve years of one thousand dollars worth 
of goods and the relinquishment on the part of the United 
States of certain portions of disputed territory ceded to 
the general government by the Sacs and Foxes." 

Shortly before the consummation of the first of the 



8 

above treaties, Crawford sent a letter - to Clark and the 
other agents in which he speaks of further cessions of 
remote Indian lands in return for annuities as undesir- 
able, since the government is already in possession of 
more land than is needed for settlement. He does say, 
however, that it may be expedient to obtain certain ces- 
sions in order to make settlements more compact. He 
fears the tendency of settlers to spread themselves out 
over the cessions — no matter how distant — and prefers 
to make this practically impossible. He fears, too, that 
if a long time intervenes between cession and settlement 
there is danger of a misunderstanding arising concerning 
the cession. Such a misunderstanding had already arisen 
in the Illinois Territory, because of which he instructs 
the agents to offer presents to quiet the claims of the 
Indians who have been using it for a hunting ground. 
Should the original owners make any claim, they must be 
made to acquiesce in the terms of the contract. But, if 
they make no claim, presents may be bestowed upon them. 
He proposes a recession to the tribes of the land north of 
the northern line of Ohio, west to the Mississippi River 
and east of the western boundary of Indiana Territory, 
reserving a military post at the mouth of the Wisconsin, 
and any other reservations the agents might deem neces- 
sary, in exchange for the Indian lands south and west of 
these lines. If the Indians refuse he leaves it to the discre- 
tion of the agents to make terms. He considered it highly 
desirable to obtain possession of a tract of land connect- 
ing the Illinois cession with Lake Michigan. He asks 
that the agents spare no pains to secure this, providing 
any of the tribes occupying this territory are present at 
the council to be held. 

On May 21, 1816, William Crawford sent a letter of 
commendation to the Indian agents for the way in which 
thev had conducted certain affairs with the Indians. He 



8 American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 97. 



referred to cessions of land which might be made from 
Cherokee and Osage tribes and reiterated the danger of 
cessions too remote. 

Difficulties having arisen between some Cherokees 
who had emigrated from their tribe and the Osages, it 
was necessary to run a line of the Osage Purchase from 
the Missouri to the Arkansas. In the event of the Cher- 
okees having settled on the Osage land, Clark and the 
other agents wrote the Secretary of War to ascertain 
what course they should pursue in regard to the improve- 
ments made by the Cherokees. But Crawford could not 
advise in this matter as the tribe had refused to treat with 
the government concerning these emigrants, declaring 
they must return and live with their tribe. 

Through the efforts of Clark in October, 1818, a 
treaty was effected between the Cherokees and the Osages 
and friendly relations were re-established. The Osages 
ceded a part of their land north of the Arkansas to the 
United States in payment of property which they had 
stolen from the citizens. The tribe had, also, decided to 
live together in one village as advised by Clark and re- 
quested that an agent be sent to them. 

In 1819 the celebrated conflict over the admission of 
Missouri as a State arose. When it became evident that 
it was to be admitted, the question of the choice of a 
Governor was an important one. Many favored the se- 
lection of a new man to succeed Grovemor Clark on the 
grounds that the latter had favored the Indian at the 
expense of the white man — a charge wholly unjust. Just 
at this time occurred the death of his wife in Virginia. 
And so, in the midst of the political entanglement Clark 
was called away to bury the woman who, since the day 
of her coming into his home, had helped to make his life 
in the West such a success. When he returned to Mis- 
souri it was to find the official chair of the new State 
filled by a new man. There were many Governors to 



10 

follow, but to the day of his death William Clark was 
given the title of ''Governor" Clark. Soon after his re- 
turn to Missouri he was made Superintendent of Indian 
affairs, which position he held until his death. 

In 1824 treaties were made by Clark with the loways 
and the Sacs and Foxes, in which they renounced all 
claims to land lying in Missouri. In 1825 similar treaties 
were concluded with the Great and Little Osages, the 
Kanzas, and the Shawanees. The same year occurred 
the celebrated treaty of Prairie du Chien, by which the 
Indian tribes agreed to live in general and lasting peace 
among themselves. The boundary lines between the dif- 
ferent tribes were also established. This was the first 
time in ten years that Clark had visited Prairie du Chien. 
Far and near could be heard the whisper among the 
tribes, ''The Great Chief, the Bed Head is coming". 
Here assembled the Sioux, Sauks, Foxes, Chippewas, 
Winnebagoes, Menominees and loways. The commis- 
sioners were somewhat disappointed that some of the 
Indians from up the Missouri had not come. By the con- 
summate tact of General Clark and Governor Cass of 
Michigan the treaty was concluded and peace reigned. 
In Cass's words "They made the treaty of perpetual 
peace, and settled the boundaries between the different 
tribes which resulted in the United States sending a corps 
of surveyors and surveying the boundaries at great ex- 
pense, and perhaps keep the Indians at peace until they 
were ready to go to war again." But, with a shrug of 
the shoulders, "they would have it so at Washington". 
The words of "Governor" Clark as he went homeward 
were, "Pray God it may last." 

Of Clark's real interest in the Indians there can be 
no doubt, in proof of which I submit the following ex- 
tract taken from his letter of March 1, 1826, to James 
Barbour, Secretary of War : 



11 

The events of the last twenty two or three years, from 
General Wayne's campaign in 1794, to the end of the operations 
against the southern tribes, in 1818, have entirely changed our 
position with regard to the Indians. Before these events, the 
tribes nearest our settlements were a formidable and terrible 
enemy; since then, their power «has been broken, their warlike 
spirit subdued, and themselves sunk into objects of pity and 
commiseration. While strong and hostile, it has been our obvious 
policy to weaken them; now that they are weak and harmless, 
and most of their lands fallen into our hands, justice and human- 
ity require us to befriend and cherish them,^ 

He continued in this strain a plea for their civiliza- 
tion. He labored hard to improve their condition. When 
in the course of his administration word was brought him 
that the traders were giving whiskey to the Indians his 
indignation leaped forth and the American Fur Company 
hastened to explain and to condone, so far as possible, 
their offence. 

Because of the constant trouble arising between the 
whites and the Indians, Clark tried to induce the eastern 
tribes to sell their lands and move west of the Mississippi. 
With this in mind he set out in 1830 for Prairie du Chien. 
Many tribes from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois adopted his 
advice. Money became exhausted, but Clark used his 
own resources and his credit to move them. He implored 
the Department for help. The whites became incensed 
at the constant depredations of the Indians. The Super- 
intendent used every argument to prevail upon the re- 
maining tribes to leave their exhausted lands and go 
west, but they invariably answered, "Another year". 

Here again, we find Black Hawk stubbornly resisting 
the removal to the last. During his absence in Canada, 
Keokuk made the final cession, but Black Hawk refused 
to go; and in 1832 he invaded Illinois. War followed, 
resulting in the capture of Black Hawk, who was sent to 



3 American State Papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. II, p. 653. 



12 

St. Louis. Clark seldom went to see him because he could 
not endure seeing the haughty chief, who was his friend, 
thus humbled. 

Clark was now growing old, but his vitality continued 
almost unabated. In 1837 news was brought to him that 
small-pox had broken out among the Mandans and had 
almost obliterated that tribe. The contagion spread. 
The Superintendent employed physicians in St. Louis to 
vaccinate. He sent them out, also, to the different tribes, 
but the superstitious Indians fled with the cry, ''The 
white men have come with small-pox in a bottle." 

All this excitement and the decimation of the tribes 
visibly affected Clark, and his health began to decline. 
On September 1, 1838, he died. One of his last requests 
was that he be buried in sight and sound of the Missis- 
sippi River. 

A deep gloom fell upon St. Louis. Everybody 
mourned "Governor" Clark. The Indians wept for the 
"Red haired Chief" and soon disappeared entirely from 
the city that had been his home for more than thirty-one 
years. It was to him that they had looked in emergen- 
cies. It was to him that the Nez Perces from beyond the 
Rocky Mountains had sent their four chiefs in search of 
"the Book" which led the Methodists in 1834 to send out 
Jason Lee and four others to Oregon, to be followed two 
years later by Whitman and Spalding with their brides. 

Thus lived and died William Clark, who, first as 
Governor, then as Superintendent of Indian Affairs, prob- 
ably did more than any other man to reconcile the Indian 
to the attitude of the United States, as well as to make 
the United States see the need of the Indian. Although 
sometimes severe, the red man felt that he was ever just. 
All honor to the man who gave his treasure and his life 
to the work of establishing a harmonious relationship 
between the government and the Indian who felt that he 
had been unjustly treated. William Clark loved and lived 



13 

for his country and its interests, and was probably the 
most beloved, honored, and revered man in the West at 
the time of his death. 



i2S ^'^ CONGRESS 




. 016 092 078 6 



